Kirstin Says: Demi Lovato Is Finally Being Taken Seriously As An Artist Because Of Her Issues — Should Other Starlets Be More Honest Too?

Demi Lovato can’t be the only teen starlet going through emotional and physical issues. Do you think other young singers and actresses should be more upfront with their struggles?

If you would have told me this time last year everything that was about to happen with Demi Lovato‘s career, I would have been shocked — I honestly had no clue just how talented she actually is. After listening to Demi’s cover of “How to Love,” I think it’s safe to say she’s is the most musically gifted Disney starlet we’ve ever had, next to Christina Aguilera. That said, I bet she would have stayed in the “Disney bubble” if she hadn’t gone through rehab.

It wasn’t that long ago the 19-year-old performer was on tour with the Jonas Brothers performing songs from the Disney movie, Camp Rock. Now, less than a year later, she’s garnered the respect of producers like Missy Elliott and Timbaland — and it’s not just because she’s suddenly discovered how to belt.

I credit much of the industry’s new found respect for Demi to her honesty about the emotional and physical issues with which she’s been struggling for years. Suddenly, she didn’t seem like a one-dimensional perky Disney starlet — she seems like a true artist.

Currently, Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez are also going through a transitional time, trying to break out of their Disney stereotypes. For Miley, she’s attempting the “bad girl” route, AKA showing more skin, being wild and adult. Meanwhile, Selena, 19, is riding the fence of child and adult by maintaining a “good girl” image, but trying to branch out the scope of her music by making her concert a “PG-13 rave.”

Honestly, I’m not sure Miley or Selena are going to be as successful as Demi has been with breaking out of the Disney machine and into the real world, simply because neither of them have publicly gone through an incident that makes them relatable to the real world.

Now, I’m not saying everyone should come out with sob stories about eating disorders and self mutilation. Not everyone goes through that. However, no one’s life is a bed of roses: growing up, Selena struggled with poverty. Also, she’s clearly had a hard time managing her nutrition and schedule — she wound up in the hospital a couple months ago! Instead of brushing incidences like these aside, I have to wonder if she’d be taken more seriously by the adult world if she was upfront about the gnarlier parts of her life. Sometimes being soo polished can be a turn off; especially in the world of the arts where grittier stories make a person.

The same goes for Miley. Although she’s had a few bumps in the road — the bong incident, her parents’ relationship and racy pics, to name a few — her team has done an excellent job of brushing them aside as though there’s nothing to it.

Plus, Demi hasn’t necessarily alienated her younger fans with her story. In fact, she says she’s a better role model now than she ever was while on the Disney Channel. While I still maintain Demi has stronger pipes than Selena or Miley (which definitely plays a role in breaking into the adult world), I think the other girls should take Demi’s lead and start opening up when they go through less than perfect times. The Shirley Temple act has been great, but now it’s time to move on.